Insights
Browse our insights library for articles, videos, easy-to-read reports and nifty infographics. You might even see where Akerlof has popped up in industry media. We’ve included filters so you can get straight to what you need… we’re helpful like that.
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The Apollo Sandwich
NASA couldn't risk a bad sandwich. Data Centres cant risk a bad termination.
The Washing Machine Problem
AI makes tasks faster. But so did the washing machine, and housework barely shrank.
Social Value Advisor
Our free tool ranks social value priorities against local data, so procurement asks for what communities actually need.
The Mechanic’s Ear
As the UK rebuilds its construction training system, will it keep the judgement it can't codify?
The Bond: AI in Construction
Three questions on AI in construction - for every business in the sector. (A speech given by Jamie)
The Kimchi Principle
How building safety reform could industrialise UK construction
2024 Problem
How limiting overtime working has driven an industrialised approach in Japan
NHP: Social Value Profiles across Wave 1
12 maps reveal the local context shaping NHP Wave 1 social value delivery.
Confessions of a bid manager
Biases that shape which projects we pursue, how we price them, and how we persuade ourselves they're deliverable.
Portfolio Efficiency Framework
A practical guide to breaking the £32bn cycle in public construction
Social Value for Data Centres: The Deal the Sector Hasn’t Made
Social licence is earned, not explained.
Recertified. With Open Eyes
The test of a principle is whether you hold it when it costs you.
Misconceptions Holding Social Value Back
Digital Tools, VCSE partnerships and social value plans. are the answer. But what was the question?
The Chassis Problem
How do you design for exponential change?
The Shape of Place
Local needs analysis: designing through data and dialogue
When the Silver Bullet Misses
Industrialised construction needs to heed lessons from MMC
How to Measure Social Value
Measuring social value can feel daunting. Don't let it be.
How to Demonstrate Social Value in Tenders & Procurement Bids
Social value is now a standard component of public sector procurement evaluation.
What is Social Value in Business?
Social value is the broader social, environmental and economic benefit that an organisation creates beyond its core commercial activities.
What is a Social Value Policy?
A social value policy is a formal statement that sets out an organisation's commitment to creating positive social, environmental and economic impact through its activities.
How to Demonstrate Social Value
Creating social value is one thing. Demonstrating social value is another.
How to Increase Social Value
The question isn't usually whether you're creating value, but whether you're maximising the opportunity.
What is Social Value in Procurement
Social value in procurement is about going beyond the traditional focus on price and quality.
How to Write a Social Value Policy
A well-crafted social value policy provides the foundation for meaningful action.
The Toothfish Problem
Industrialised construction may need some PR support.
Industrialised Construction v MMC
Possibly the most enticing match-up since Les Dennis v Bob Mortimer
Social Value Pantomime
But the pantomime isn’t social value, it’s poor implementation
Consumption to Contribution
Data Centres: ensuring critical infrastructure leaves places better
Building Fair Foundations
The case for the Real Living Wage (RLW) in construction
Appert’s Can
We have housing’s digital cans - now it’s time to invent the can opener.
Railway 200: The Gauge Wars
Agreeing how far apart to space two rails should be easy, right?
National Infrastructure Pipeline: Confidence in Uncertainty
Plotting pipeline and demand is important, but it doesnt offer answers to everything
Pattern Books
Pattern Books: Savvy solution or copy-paste curse?
CLC Pipeline Guidance
Recommendations for developing, structuring and publishing better pipelines
We dont fit in the box
We dont fit the box ... but then thats the point.
Logistics in Healthcare Design & Construction
The importance of logistics in early stage healthcare design and construction planning
Does my bum look big in this?
Ensuring that feedback around costs plans can be be answered truthfully
What makes a project attractive to the market?
How contractors decide where and what to bid
Why Construction Alliance leaders should watch Love Island
Lessons in Game Theory, Behavioural Nudges and Strategic Pairings
Breaking the Silence – Women’s Health at Work
Opening up conversations on menopause, periods, and workplace support.
Turning ambition into action | Accelerating MMC housing delivery
A 45-minute collaborative discussion on scaling MMC to address England’s urgent demand for 90,000 social rent homes per year
Innovation and its enemies
Construction is often cautious to innovate, a habit that easily spreads.
Making a difference: the power of the personal
We don’t always need national policy or political support behind us to affect change.
New Homes New Ways | Video
VIDEO: Using AI and in collaboration with Churton Studio, we've developed this video to supporting the Housing Festivals 'New Homes New Ways' exhibition... a story of why systemic change is needed to address the UK's housing crisis.
The tragedy of the anti-commons
Construction loves collaboration - until effort gets mistaken for IP.
Interchangeable parts
Interchangeability - a concept that doesnt quite fit construction.
Hopes and fears for 2025
Ellie's wish list for the New Year
Utilisation Rates
When turning the wheel is more important that making progress.
Rob Littlewood interview with Kreo
Rob Littlewood, Partner at Akerlof, shares his insights with Kreo on revolutionising project delivery through their digital tool
Combined Authorities | Strategic Action Plan
Akerlof has produced a white paper providing MMC advice for Combined Authorities, to help them respond to the government’s housing ambitions
Social value in practice: an summer internship at Akerlof
Nothemba Gulubane, a final-year architecture student at the University of Manchester, tells us about her summer internship at Akerlof
Inciner8-2-Net0 | Research project launch
PRESS RELEASE: Global partnership set to transform waste into an innovative construction solution
Social rent housing | MMC Playbook
Akerlof supported the Housing Festival to curate a Social Housing MMC playbook, in seeking to address the state of 'managed homelessness'
Familiar done differently
MMC is a broad term for contemporary innovations. However being contemporary and innovative creates a risk profile that many can be cautious to embrace.
RIBA Smart Buildings Overlay
To help unlock the potential of smart building technology, Akerlof have supported the Smart Buildings Overlay to the 2020 RIBA Plan of Work.
Carbon Blind Spots
Our analysis of the UK's top 30 Tier 1 contractors highlights a blind spot in Scope 3 emissions
The Platform Journey | TIP Roadmap to 2030
VIDEO: With the brilliant Churton Studio and using AI, we've created the 'the Platform Journey'... a story of theTIP Roadmap 2030 - delivering better outcomes for people and the planet.
Digital Kit of Parts for Housing | Autodesk University 2023
VIDEO: Housing and Residential Lead, Katie Rudin, presented a summary of the MHCLG digital kit of parts for housing at Autodesk University 2023.
Constructing homes, Rebuilding lives | Value of Social Housing
Our collaborative research with Housing Festival quantifies the value of new social housing. Read our report here.
Great Western Railway ESG Report | 2022-23
For the second consecutive year, Akerlof have supported GWR in assessing their social value using the RSSB Rail Social Value Tool (RSVT).
B Corp Impact Report | FY 21/22
Securing B Corp status is amazing but, as cliche goes, it's only start of the journey. Our impact report tracks our progress as we strive to deliver betters.
Differentiation vs similarity | Lessons for the MMC market
What nature can teach us about MMC manufacturers about individuality and collective success
MHCLG Digital Kit of Parts (d-KoP) | Stakeholder feedback
We share the findings of over 100 industry experts engaged to inform the development of MHCLG's digital kit of parts for low-rise housing.
MHCLG Kit of Parts | Conversations that count
Katie Rudin, stakeholder lead for the MHCLG Kit of Parts research project provides an overview on the value of stakeholder engagement and participation in delivering a better outcome.
MMC | Insolvency Risk of Modular Market
Pop Quiz - what is the average lifespan of a modular company? We give definition to this risk profile in a volatile market
MMC | Health and Safety Benefits of Pre-Manufacture
Whilst H&S benefits of MMC are often cited but rarely quantified. We analysed the data to understand the impact of a pre-manufactured approach.
Re-Build 2023 | Sustainable Innovation
This year we presented at Re-Build, the Italian event dedicated to sustainable innovation of the built environment. Find our AI generated slides here
Residential MMC Conference | Interview with Rob Littlewood
As an advocate of pre-manufactured solutions, Rob outlines how the residential market could benefit from MMC adoption.
MHCLG Digital Kit of Parts | Research Project Launch
PRESS RELEASE: MHCLG have commissioned research to develop a digital kit of parts to increase MMC adoption across the housing sector
Industrialised Construction in Healthcare Report
Having analysed the profile of £20bn NHS capital works delivered in the past decade, we provide insights and recommendations for the future new hospitals programme (NHP) and its adoption of industrialised construction.
Product Platforms in the Wild
With the Tier 1 market fraught with challenges, the adoption of product platforms may unlock long-terms benefits, assuming organisations can wait that long
Decarbonising Substructures
Akerlof supported the MoJ in decarbonising the substructures of their new build estate
The Product Platform Rulebook 1.2
Akerlof were co-authors of the updated Product Platform Rulebook, addressing the Government’s ambitions to accelerate the adoption of a platform based approach in construction
Small but mighty | How B Corp shapes our culture as an SME
This B Corp month, Katie Rudin reflects on what it means to be an SME, and how our small scale and focus on delivering betters has created a culture that values both value and values!
Penny Anderson joins Institute for Social Value Board
Institute for Social Value (formerly Social Value UK) announces that our Head of Social Value, Penny Anderson, has recently joined their Board of Directors.
Value Toolkit Industry Lead | Interview with Ellie Jenkins
Building Magazine speaks with Ellie on her work leading the Value Toolkit, making good ideas work at scale and her love of Welsh beaches
Jewellery Quarter Visioning Report
We worked on behalf of the Jewellery Quarter Development Trust to demonstrate how areas in greatest need could be regenerated or reconnect.
Optimising Social Value through MMC
Led by the Supply Chain Sustainability School, Akerlof and the University of Salford, this report reviews the overlay and tensions between offsite construction and social impact.
The Value Toolkit
VIDEO: Our Partner, Ellie Jenkins, explains in this video how we engaged with industry to develop, test and roll out the Value Toolkit
Product Platform Rulebook | Demand, Develop, Deploy
PRESS RELEASE: Product Platform Rulebook: co-authored by Akerlof with Motts & Atkins on behalf of Construction Innovation Hub
The Product Platform Rulebook | Beta Version
Akerlof have co-authored the Product Platform Rulebook - an industry blueprint for developing and implementing product platforms.
Construction Playbook MMC Guidance Note
Akerlof contributed to the drafting the Construction Playbook MMC guidance note, clarifying what is needed to adopt MMC and platform approaches
Specification Maturity Report
An assessment framework to help government bodies assess the maturity of their technical specifications against best practice, and create a routemap for improvement
Decarbonising Concrete | CN Award Winner
PRESS RELEASE: Akerlof and partners have been recognised as 2022 CN Awards 'Carbon Reduction Champion' for the decarbonising concrete initiative.
Value Toolkit Launch
VIDEO: Our Partner and integrated project lead at the Construction Innovation Hub, Ellie Jenkins, speaks at the Value Toolkit launch in Westminster
The Product Platform Rulebook – Draft for Consultation
A blueprint for developing and implementing product platforms for current and future market players
Decarbonising Concrete Training | SCSS
VIDEO: As part of our open culture, John Handscomb leads a lunch 'n' learn to share insights from our Decarbonising Precast Concrete project
Building Brum Podcast | MMC and Value Toolkit
Podcast: Akerlof Partners Ellie Jenkins and Jamie Hillier join Conor at the Building Brum podcast to discuss their work around value-based decision making and MMC
DfMA Overlay | The Implications For Architects
VIDEO: In this training video, our Partner, Jamie Hiller, discusses the implications of the RIBA DfMA Overlay on architects leading the adoption of DfMA and MMC.
DfMA Overlay | Clients, Value and Procurement
VIDEO: In this training video, our Partner, Jamie Hiller, explains value-based decision-making and how it can deliver better outcomes
DfMA Overlay | Platform Thinking and Construction Playbook
VIDEO: In this training video, our Partner, Jamie Hiller, discusses new guidance and initiatives including the Construction Innovation Hub and Construction Playbook
DfMA Overlay |The 7 Categories of MMC
VIDEO: Our Partner, Jamie Hiller, talks through the 7 categories of MMC, with examples of construction methods included within each
Beautiful Design Delivered Efficiently | MMC
The announcement of Kingston University - Townhouse as winner of 2021 RIBA Stirling Prize reaffirms that modern methods of construction (MMC) and architectural aesthetic are not mutually exclusive.
DfMA Overlay to the RIBA Plan of Work 2020
Akerlof were a key contributor to the DfMA Overlay for RIBA Plan of Work 2020, setting out the latest thinking for design & construction professionals
80 Years of Construction Industry Reports
The IPA’s Transforming Infrastructure Performance: Roadmap to 2030 is the latest in over 80 years of construction industry reports published by Government. We reflect on the past, to identify lessons for the future
TIP Roadmap to 2030 Report | Improved Societal Outcomes
Published by Cabinet Office and with contributions from Akerlof, the Transforming Infrastructure Performance (TIP) Roadmap to 2030 sets out a vision for the future.
Decarbonising Concrete Report
Our Decarbonising Precast Concrete project demonstrated 40% savings against the embodied carbon (measured against ICE database) of existing solutions
Decarbonising Precast Concrete | Sky News
VIDEO: Sky News Daily Climate Show describes how our Decarbonising Precast Concrete project identified processes that could reduce carbon emissions by up to 40%
Decarbonising Concrete | Project Overview
VIDEO: Our collaborative team explains how our decarbonising concrete project can assist in realising upto 40% reduction in carbon emissions associated with precast concrete
Decarbonising Concrete
PRESS RELEASE: Led by Akerlof, a collaborative team spanning the value chain has worked to develop commercially viable processes that significantly reduce the embodied carbon of precast concrete
The Value Toolkit | Value Based Decision Making
This month marks the beta-testing phase of the Hub’s Value Toolkit - a suite of tools and processes designed to enable informed value-based decisions that drive better social, economic and environmental outcomes.
B Corp | Better Business in Built Environment
At Akerlof, we strive to look beyond seeking differentiation and instead to make a difference. To deliver not just goods but betters. To enshrine our commitment to these principles we have become a Certified B Corporation (B Corp).
MMC | Challenging Organisations to Adapt
Innovation doesn’t have to mean bold new solutions. However making small changes can often be a challenge to established players.
R&D Tax Credits
Big Bill Werbeniuk’s habit of downing at least six pints before a snooker match was medically certified and in turn tax deductible. Qualification for tax relief is rarely so colourful, however the opportunity for R&D and innovation is no less important.
Levelling Up
Levelling up shouldn’t be perceived as a political catchphrase but a call to action. The construction industry holds a key role in addressing regional inequality - we explain why and how it can lead impactful change that serves to address social imbalance.
Defining the Need Report | Pipeline Aggregation
With key contribution from Akerlof, the Defining the Need Report aggregates social infrastructure pipeline to explore potential points of commonality.
This Job is Not For You | Working at Akerlof
We are looking for a project manager to join our team Akerlof. We are a small, nimble business, with team members that are great at what they do. We hold our culture dearly and don’t invite individuals to join our fold lightly. We want the very best.
MMC: A New Industry Norm
In 2020, MMC reached a tipping point . As many self-reflect around how they may apply MMC to transform their businesses, we look towards building the market momentum to support our industry to deliver better outcomes.
MMC: An Opportunity for SMEs
SMEs represent the lifeblood of the construction industry and the heart of both local and national economic growth. Taking steps to grow by applying MMC can be daunting however, especially when you are small.
PMV: A Cautionary Tale of Targets
Pre-manufactured value (PMV) - the relative proportion of work manufactured offsite - has the potential to shape the direction of our industry... intentionally or otherwise.
Two Types of Knowledge
In 2018 Nigel Richards, a man from New Zealand, memorised every French word in the French scrabble dictionary and won the French Scrabble Championship …. all without speaking any French.
Designing to the Edges, not Averages
Logic encourages us to focus on the majority - to aggregate demand and provide solutions for the middle of the market. Innovation and differentiation however is realised by stretching the extremities.
But I Wore the Juice!
In 1995, a middle-aged man named McArthur Wheeler walked into two banks near his home in Pittsburgh and robbed them at gunpoint. He almost got away with it—except for one critical flaw in his plan: The disguise he chose didn't disguise him at all.
An Introduction to the Value Toolkit
This report provides an introduction to the Value Toolkit – what it is, what it will deliver and how it will be used
Standardising the box | P-DfMA
Adopting platform-based solutions, through a P-DfMA approach, is hoped by many to transform the construction industry. We reflect upon what lessons history teaches us - from those that standardised the shipping container.
Culture as Competitive Advantage
Technical solutions can often be developed in a vacuum; without consideration to their context and the behaviors of those of whom apply them. Understanding and leveraging cultural norms however, to shift the frame of reference, can create a competitive advantage.
Quantifying Benefits of MMC
Akerlof provided input to CIRIA in their research report on “Quantifying the Benefits of Offsite Construction”. Originally intended to demonstrate the impact of MMC, this research study reaffirms the need for a consistent data collation framework.
COVID-19: Recovery Reinvented
As the impact of COVID-19 continues to evolve, read the second in our series of guidance notes, supporting construction leaders evaluate the landscape, the risks of market volatility and opportunities for reinvention in a ‘new normal’.
World’s First Prefabricated Hospital
Renkioi Hospital was the world’s first prefabricated hospital. illustrating the importance of not only doing things better but also doing better things.
COVID-19: Strength through Adversity
STRATECOVID-19 represents a unprecedented global public health emergency. It is also an economic crisis - one that could portend the Great Recession of 2007-2009. Akerlof have prepared a guidance note, to support leaders navigate through uncharted terrritory and develop strength in the face of adversity.
Bird Brain? How Pigeons identified Breast Cancer as well as Humans
The Fourth Industrial Revolution promises to disrupt labor markets and the profile of skills. However how does our perspective on technology change when we substitute AI with pigeons.
Social Value MMC Calculator
As a pioneering innovation to social value investment, Akerlof have developed with SPC, RLB, Pagabo and Kier, an Social Value MMC calculator, enables business’ to support the UK in ‘Levelling Up’.
The Toilet that Sunk the Submarine
Technology has the potential to disrupt …. positively and negatively. At Akerlof, we work to ensure that in applying modern solutions, the context is understood; history shows however that not everyone adopts this approach.
Supporting Action to tackle Climate Emergency
The impact of climate change is clear and present. The built environment sector holds the knowledge and skills to address the climate emergency however more immediate action is required to mitigate the ‘tragedy of the horizons’.
As Smart as a One-Legged Man on an Escalator
Social norms influence our behaviour and shape our perception of risk. The adoption of MMC is no exception to this.
Language of MMC: Shaping our Perception
At Akerlof, we understand the importance of plain language. To simplify complex concepts into clear terms, we use small words with big thinking.
Construction – Forever the Market for Lemons?
At Akerlof we look to provide a platform for considered choice and business improvement – to ensure our customers are enabled to define, evaluate and procure quality through informed decision making.
